This was a different beginning, a challenge I didn't expect to have to contend with. I had worked separately from Astrid before, but not since we've grown so close. She's always just been there; I could always count on her to be by my side. From Viggo, to disobeying my father and tracking down Drago, to the end of Krogan. The Hysterics and meeting their leaders and people, even if briefly, she gave me the courage to stand firm. This is the first time we've voluntarily separated for so long, though a small part of me accepted that I'd need to come to terms with this. With going into danger without her by my side; knowing she may be in danger without me being able to intervene. Trusting the will of the Gods and our own abilities to eventually see each other back to our arms. Everything I did, I did for the dragons, my people, and her. A lot of it was for her; more than it should be.
As a chief, as a leader, it was my responsibility to do things for the good of the tribe, the dragons. To look at the picture as a whole and see past the implications of the day. To try to steer a day in the village or out on the sea to the betterment of our way of life. Ultimately, all these things benefited her, of course. But an underlying motivation, a constant consideration and drive was that everything I did, I did so her and I could have a life together. So that I could end the days with her, wake up with her and eventually reach Valhalla with her. If I had known as a kid how important she would end up becoming in my life, I wonder if my actions would have changed. It was another challenge, another scenario I had to ready myself for. When it came down to it, would I choose her or Toothless? Her or the tribe? I remember a fleeting thought when I was willing to leave her and the tribe behind to fly away on Toothless to avoid killing a dragon. I've grown so much since then and my priorities have been molded by my experiences. With all those experiences, I've only gained more questions and less answers. I briefly grip my forearm, feeling the dagger that connected me to Astrid, the one she had a duplicate of… My mind wrestling with it all.
Eret was being kind, or trying to be anyways, talking to me about random adventures he has been on. I think he is trying to take my mind off it all, though it is hardly working he keeps trying. Him riding Skullcrusher didn't really help as it was a constant reminder of my father, though Eret would've made him proud. He's become something like a brother to me, and he knew my turmoil. He couldn't guess my thoughts, but he certainly could tell I wasn't at peace with the decision. Still, he tried to distract me and every so often, I'd be jarred back to hearing him in the middle of a random adventure. Apparently, he has sailed westward and southward for weeks on end after leaving the reaches of the Archipelago and found naught but sea. It makes me wonder how expansive the sea truly is, if it ever ends, where the point is that it falls.
What finally pulls me out of my train of thought is when Eret points out the island on the horizon. On the maps, we draw these islands relatively close but in actuality, they are rather far. There were several islands that were on varying maps. My father's grandfather's father created a map of the Archipelago that showed us where islands like Villiany, Bashem, Mystery, the Danger Brute Dungeons, Hysteria, Tomorrow, Murderous Mountains. Of course, by the time it made it down to me, many of the islands had sunken or been completely taken by the sea. The Screaming Death certainly didn't do any favors, either.
Our first stop was westward of the Hysterics, we had passed their island some time ago and were arriving towards the territory of the Hymir Tribe. These were a people that claimed to have witnessed the very might of Thor in the skies; though it was often believed they just witnessed a Skrill. Still, they had ships, were on the outskirts of the west and respected dragons.
They were but one of many stops we'd need to make. The Mongrel Tribe was a tribe of warriors, not unlike the Defenders of the Wing, only far more elitist in their ideals. They'd make excellent allies if you gained their respect but gaining that was a challenge. Eret had a better chance of that then I did. After those two, we'd reconnect with the Wingmaidens and the Defenders. I'd take this opportunity to introduce Eret to the Edge. It'd be my first time back since we all left those years ago and it'd be a chance to show Eret the type of work we've been doing.
"Alright, we're going in. We haven't had any contact with these guys in years, but they were never rumored to be maligned. Let's land at their docks and go from there, keep you guard up." I call out to Eret who nods.
"You got it." He calls back. "I've only done work around these parts once myself and never had any interaction with them, so it'll be a first for me. I didn't have a dragon back then though, so times have changed." Eret continues as we land and hop off our dragons. I walk with Toothless by my side as Eret follows suit. The docks have a few ships in port but no one manning them, no signs of distress though so we continue. We see the movement of lights ahead as the village is right near the docks and similarly to when we first landed on Defenders and the Hysterics, we are quite suddenly surrounded. Vikings in haphazard cloths wielding crossbows, axes and maces all leveled at us as they move in from the village.
"State your business!" A large gruff man calls out as he steps forward.
"My name is Hiccup Haddock, Chief of the Hooligan Tribe of Berk. I come to seek an audience with your leader." I respond, standing firm as Eret moves slowly to my left with Toothless on my right.
"And I am Eret, Son of Eret." Eret adds.
"And you come unannounced? Come, then, meet the Chiefess; but leave your dragons outside the village." He states and I wince. I wasn't fond of going without Toothless.
"No can do." Eret responds simply as the gruff man growls. Eret simply shrugs. "Look, you've clearly got us outnumbered; but we will not be separated from our dragons. We come in peace." Eret adds as I nod, glancing back to him as he narrows his eyes at the both of us.
"Well-" He begins before he is interrupted by a sharp female voice.
"Let me see these people for myself." A female calls out from beyond, and the man parts ways to reveal a small statured woman. No bigger than Astrid or I, commanding another large group of Vikings. Were the hiccups of the Archipelago taking over? The thought made me laugh silently to myself as she approached. She approaches confidently and I can tell she is no slouch herself. She stops before Eret and I and eyes us both down with a furrowed brow.
"Uh, hi. I'm Hiccup." I stumble as she closed the gap rather quickly.
"Yes, and that one is Eret. Are you really the Chief of the Hooligans? The Dragon Riders of the Archipelago? We've heard so much about you. Slayers of Drago and his ilk. What could possibly bring you to our shores." She states as I glance to Eret and nod.
"The threat of Drago didn't die with him; his army of trappers is still strong. We wish to see them ended; to purge the waters of their kind and live-in peace with our neighbors and the dragons. To that end, we are hosting a Summit of Chiefs after the Winter Solstice. The summit would house the greatest powers of the Archipelago to tackle this problem." I state as she paces around both of us, gazing at our dragons.
"There hasn't been a summit to that degree in nearly a generation. Since Drago, he took my father at that Summit." She states solemnly, stopping in front of us again. "Who are these powers that be?" She asks.
"Many from all walks of life have already agreed. The Outcasts, the Berserkers and Hysterics. Also, the Defenders of the Wing and the Wingmaidens, though we are flying there to formally invite them after this. We are also going to invite the Mongrel Tribe." I state as she seems to wince.
"That's… quite the collection." She pauses and seems to stare uncomfortably long at me. "You interrupted our evening entertainment. Come, Hiccup and Eret; join us. We'll talk more about this Summit over food." She states and turns, walking away and motioning us to follow. I can see several of the bulkier Vikings staring at us with a certain degree of contempt, but they do not argue as we move to follow her with our dragons in tow. She didn't say no, so that was a start. I didn't really want to stay for dinner, but at this rate, it'd be safer if we flew out at dawn anyways. The first night without Astrid, I just hope things on Berk are faring well for her…
Berk has become something of a fortress at sea, an impenetrable wall of loyal and strong defenders watching vigilantly on the horizon for any threat that may come to pass. Mildew's old homestead had since become a look out point with large seeing scopes that can see out into three major directions unobstructed. Sven had several people up there on rotations while I had Gustov organized the A team to do patrols once every hour or so. We weren't at a state of heightened alertness, so keeping them in the air would only tire them out. The food reserves were capped, the armory was locked and ready; our ships were prepared, and our defenses primed. And it was barely midafternoon.
This would be a long few weeks. I wouldn't be able to lose myself in my duties every day, not in this age. We had so many dragons, so many people trained to ride them. We had a completely different way of life now; the usual gripe day was a thing of the past. Naysayers like Mildew had long left our shores. All that was left for us was our duties, and our thoughts. Hiccup. I wanted nothing more than to fly out to him this instant; to shirk my responsibilities just to be by his side again. It scared me to think of what this was going to mean for me in the long run.
I was a warrior; I am a warrior. I fight for my family, my people, the dragons, I always have. And Hiccup has always been there, he believed in me even when I didn't; the Flightmare, the night the Hunters took Stormfly, the lightning. He has always believed in me, always trusted me even when I was lying to him about Heather being on our side. He never degraded me, even when he found out he trusted me. I trust him; I need him. What does that mean? The very thought that I would consider up and leaving it all to fly to his side, knowing it'd be against his orders even if he wanted it too. It made me wonder about this fight we had chosen or rather, that has been forced upon us. I love my people, my family; but I love Hiccup more, and I shouldn't, should I?
It was so easy to get lost in thought in mid flight, flying on the back of Stormfly, circling the island and feeling the cold wind wisp through the helmet. I could close my eyes and live up there. I run my hand up my chest and feel the medallion Hiccup had and then I feel down my leg to the dagger. I know he was doing okay, that he would be fine. He was the best of us, but it didn't stop me from worrying, from thinking. I must've been up there for hours before I felt Stormfly start making her way down; she had grown tired from the flight and I was admittedly mentally exhausted myself. We start making our way to the Great Hall.
Tomorrow I'd see about rehashing the Dragon Races as a means to entertain the masses and maybe help take my mind off of things; but even then. Thinking of the Dragon Races, my mind immediately went to the race between Hiccup and I, where we took each other in the stables afterwards in a flurry of passion. I wanted him with me, he gave me the courage to break out of my shell, to show my sensitive side, if even only to him. I didn't need to be the fierce warrior with him; I could just be, me.
As we land, I can see Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins playing another game of Maces and Talons with various Vikings watching. They didn't notice me enter, which was all the better. I made my way to our table and sat where I usually sit; were Hiccup would sit next to me. It was nearing dinner and my mind was barely registering what was around me. I know a couple people had said hello to me, I think I replied back to them, but it was passing at best. A cup of mead and a plate of chicken sitting in front of me and I could barely muster the urge to eat. I suppose I shouldn't be surprise I nearly jumped at the sound of Valka's voice.
"Staring down yer food, Astrid? It'll only grow colder, and you need to eat." She says, sitting next to me as I nod and shrug.
"Yeah, I know. Just thinking a bit harder than I should be." I admit. It was shockingly easy to talk to Valka without even trying.
"Aye, it happens. I was with Stoick for nearly five years before Cloudjumper took me; married for three of those years. He had already been the Chief. Must be twenty-two years ago, maybe twenty-three that I was taken. I was barely twenty years old and Hiccup was just a babe. I struggled with a lot in those years." Valka says. I can tell she is attempting to reason with me, bond in some way, help me learn to cope with the distance. I hear her take a swig of her mead as she leans back.
"How did you keep going? Stay away for so long? You were gone for twenty years… why did you never try to come back?" I ask the impossible questions. I was sort of angry, at her, at myself, at it all, I guess. She had chosen to stay away for so long, to ignore Hiccup and Stoick for nearly two decades, knowing full well she could have returned. I could tell the question caught her off guard as she breathes softly, though deeply.
"I was afraid. Of so many things. Afraid that Stoick would never change, that we'd always fight dragons. Afraid that would be Hiccup's fate and that I'd be powerless to alter it. Afraid that I'd be judged for leaving, that they'd kill whatever dragon I rode in on. Afraid that he moved on. I had to focus on the dragons, and nothing else or I might've lost myself in my regret." She says in a shuddered breath as I listen, I can tell she's withholding tears and staying strong. "And I was wrong." She admits finally.
"I remember hearing about what happened when you and Stoick first met after you captured Hiccup." I say and she smiles weakly.
"It was… I wanted to be angry at him, I wanted him to be angry at me. I wanted him to shout, to yell and curse my name to the Gods. To justify myself; but he didn't. He looked at me." She pauses and turns her head towards me and smiles. "The way Hiccup looks at you. Twenty Years Later and his love hadn't faded even an inkling. If anything." She pauses.
"It grew." I add softly as she nods, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"What is happening now is so very different; you are separate, but for the right reasons. He makes alliances so that you, that I, that his people do not have to fear for our future. You protect our home so that when all is said and done, he comes home to the one person he's been thinking of this whole time." Valka says and I sigh, taking a drink and setting the mug down.
"I feel like I've changed from before; and I don't know what that change means." I admit and she smiles.
"Do you have faith in him, believe and trust in him?" She asks and I nod simply. I do, and I always would.
"You grew, together. Not changed. You're still the same person, and so is he. But you've grown, in body and mind, since you were first together. You've had thoughts you consider selfish, but they aren't. They are your emotions, your heart speaking to you. It is up to your mind to work with your heart for the better." Valka continues as I shake my head smiling. She has some good, though random advice. Living alone with dragons for twenty years can do that to you, I guess.
"I know, I mean, inside I know. I- Thank you." I stumble. "There is just so much going on, the trappers are a wild card and with how they attacked you, I can't stop thinking that they'll attack him. Maybe one of the tribes he visits will be violent. A waterspout throws him and Eret off course. There are so many things that can go wrong." I explain and she nods.
"Yes, and there are so many things that can go right. Astrid, give your thinking, your energy to the positive. Focus on the best ending to this, the best results. Clear skies for him, clear waters for us. Allies in our fight, a safe home. Trappers gone; dragons free forever. When you only think of the negative, the gods only hear the negative." She continues. "Instead of hoping they don't get thrown off course; hope they arrive safely. Then the last words in your mind are safe and arrive. It seems silly, but the gods made our minds stronger than we care to believe." Valka finishes as I nod.
"I've seen what a strong mind can do. You should see the things Hiccup can do; the shield he made that turns into a crossbow. You saw his dragon sword, his flight suit. He invents things well beyond what anyone could imagine in his mind. Even the twins, they come up with absolutely ridiculous ideas that somehow work." I add, laughing at the last part. "Their ridiculousness is why Dagur married Mala." I add and Valka's eyes widen.
"Okay, that I didn't know." Valka admits and we both laugh. Glancing towards the game of Maces and Talons, I turn back to Valka.
"What about you though. Are you remaining alone until Valhalla?" I ask her and she nods.
"Aye; Stoick did not seek out another and instead held true to his vows. I will do no less; regardless of how others around me may flirt." Valka admits and we laugh.
"I'm sure Eret or even Snotlout won't stop trying." I say and she shakes her head.
"No, no. I'm quite content to meet my love in Valhalla. I expect grandkids from you two, though." Valka states and I choke on my drink as she laughs. "What? You think I didn't know, come on now, Astrid." She says amid a laugh. Sure, I knew she knew Hiccup and I were intimate, but we haven't really talked openly about it.
"Uh, yeah. Definitely, just, not yet." I stumble on my words again as she laughs.
"That's fine, just make sure you keep up with that herb." She states and I groan as she laughs again. "You think I haven't noticed Gothi's exceptionally short supply? You two are young adults and far from traditionalists living in the same house alone. I'd be more surprised if you hadn't done anything yet." Valka admits and I grumble and shake my head. She just had to make it awkward.
"Uh, yeah. We have. So, in other news." I mutter and she smiles.
"In other news; Dragon races tomorrow?" She asks and I nod. Finally, a topic I could talk about without being overly flustered. Still mildly flustered considering but she didn't need to know about that. For Thor's sake, she probably already did. Either way, at least this helped me cope, even if it was awkward. Just take it a day at a time and before I knew it, Hiccup would be back in my arms, and me in his.
